Dog hit by car at Foothills and Baseline in Boulder found safe, returned home

By Mitchell Byars, Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
01/10/2013 09:22:17 AM MST

Updated:
01/10/2013 01:52:47 PM MST

Ernie was found safe after going missing in Boulder (Twitter photo)

Ernie the red heeler is back at home after he went missing Tuesday night when he and his owner were hit by cars at the intersection of Foothills Parkway and Baseline Road in Boulder.

Lauren Shepard said she and her husband Zac Wilkinson were waiting with Ernie to cross at the light when something spooked the dog, causing it to back out of its leash and run out into the road. Ernie was hit by a car and then ran away, and Wilkinson also was hit when he ran into the road after the dog.

"I guess it wasn't on tight enough," she said of the leash. "It's never happened before."

Shepard stayed with her husband while witnesses chased after Ernie, but they couldn't catch the dog. After taking Wilkinson to the hospital -- he suffered broken ribs -- Shepard went around posting pictures of Ernie and recruiting friends to help with the search.

"It was a long night," she said.

Ernie was found Wednesday morning in the area of Moorhead Circle on someone's front porch. The people who lived there put a blanket on Ernie and called animal control. They scanned the dog's microchip to identify it and returned Ernie home.

"We were pretty ecstatic," Shepard said. "He was very excited to be home."

Shepard said she appreciated the outpouring of support from the community in trying to help find Ernie as well as the people who found the dog.

"We were both so worried," she said. "It was so nice to know people were asking about him."

She said Ernie has a small leg fracture but is now home from the veterinarian resting along with her husband.

"They've spent a lot of time on the couch together," she said. "They're both on pain meds, so they're both a bit loopy right now."